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Italy

With summer officially knocking on the door, a trip I took from two summers ago has me wishing I was back in Florence. During this summer abroad six of my close friends and I had the privilege of soaking up the best in Italian cuisine, cocktails, and of course you can’t leave Italy without some fine Italian leather! Can someone PLEASE take me back! Here is a look at some of my favorite spots in one of my favorite places on earth: Florence, Italy.

Il Latini – A lovely family style Italian restaurant. There are two seatings at the restaurant and expect massive lines to get in the door for both!

On January 27th, Louis Vuitton inaugurated their first Maison in Italy, Roma Etoile. Cate Blanchett and French actress Catherine Deneuve were just two of the many who celebrated the iconic fashion line’s historic opening. Twitter followers were treated to exclusive photos of red carpet entrances via live updates @LouisVuitton_IT.

The store is literally set on a cinematic backdrop replete with a dramatic elliptical staircase and a screening room which aims to support the Italian film industry. The location is an old cinema redesigned by architect Peter Marino, famous for his edgy biker style and no less for his awe-inspiring retail stages.

I love when art and fashion come together. It seems like such an obvious relationship yet we’re still very excited at each occurrence. I believe it has to do with making the uber world of art feel just slightly less stodgy when linked with the more glamorous vernacular of fashion.

There is Salvatore Ferragamo’s Museo de Ferragamo. Francois Pinault’s Punta della Dogana and now Bernard Arnault’s Gehry-designed, Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation, set to debut in Paris next year. In the works since 2006 the $200 million home for Arnault’s private collection is set to open in late 2012. According to Forbes, “The museum will hold Arnault’s vast corporate and private collections of art, including 20th-century classics from Picasso, Yves Klein, Henry Moore and Andy Warhol mixed with modern work by Agnes Martin, Frank Serra, Jeff Koons and Pierre Huyghe.”

When this opens, we will be on the lookout for the most fabulous parties that Paris can handle.